The stitch witch
by Melancholy's Sunshine
Summary: Coraline couldn't escape the Beldam unharmed. But she will make it her personal mission to make sure the Beldam can't hurt anyone else ever again. And she has heard of a guild notorious for destroying things.
1. Chapter 1

Sanctuary. Did it even exist? Or were they just false promises?

She didn't know. It wasn't something that anyone she knew thought about.

But it was all she could think about now a days. After the _run in_.

Her parents were afraid. They didn't know what happened. Even when she tried to explain it, it sounded unreal. Like a trick or enchantment had been placed on her to see something that didn't exist.

Regardless of what the truth of what happened, the effect was clear. The little darling girl whose curiousity knew no bounds was heavily encompassed by magic in which her home didn't know and feared.

So it didn't take long for the girl to leave, a small sack on her back and a pocket full of money to get her started, a black cat following close after with striking blue eyes.

"Why are you bothering me?" The girl hissed at the cat. The glared at her, as if to silently judge her running away.

"There is _nothing_ good for me here. I don't feel safe. And I don't think I will until _she's_ gone."

The cat meowed at her and lessened its glare. As if to ask if she would get rid of her.

"I don't know if I can. But I'll find someone who can."

The girl kept moving forward, aware she had to get as far as she could before her parents could wake up. If they wouldn't listen to her on how to get help, she'd have to do it herself. And she heard there was one group of magical users that were just about crazy enough to try anything. Including face the one who made her what she was. The creature who tried to kill her and steal her eyes, only to fail in taking them both.

With a dragonfly pin on her collar next to a silver chain and incredibly dark blue hair covering her right eye, the girl trudged on. In search of the infamous magical guild, Fairy Tail.

* * *

"This Caroline kid's parents are putting out quite the reward," Gajeel commented as he looked at the recently edited reward for the safe return of their child. From 250,000 jewel to 500,000. It wasn't the largest reward on the board, but this one had been steadily rising since its initial posting.

"It says Coraline. Not Caroline," Levy corrected as she looked over the request. The request for the safe return of a thirteen year old girl who vanished from her home one fateful night.

The wizards of the guild were torn over the request. On the one hand, there was a missing child with very concerned parents. On the other hand, they all remembered what happened with Lucy's father.

What could any of them expect with this mission request that had been up for months?

"What did you say!?" Natsu roared at Gray in his usual manner before a brawl broke out.

Chaos and violence were the norm when a hooded stranger walked into the guild. Not too terribly tall, and walking with a cat, they walked to the bar.

"Hello there," Mirajane greeted the short stranger, "Anything I can do for you?"

The person coughed and kept their head down, hiding their face under the hood, and in a quiet and raspy tone, asked a question.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't quite hear you."

"I would like to speak with the master of the guild," a young voice clearly spoke. Worry was evident in their voice. Mirajane's face adopted a worried look.

"Is something the matter?"

"I would just like to speak with the master please. It's urgent."

Mirajane nodded her head.

"Master, someone is here to see you," she called out cheerfully making the short person flinch, lowering their head. Heads of the guild turned to see Master Markorav walk over to the hooded person.

"Hello there my child. What can I do for you?" Markorav asked with a wide smile.

"Can... Can we talk in private?"

Markorav looked at the stranger with careful eyes. With the head lowered it wasn't hard for him to realize he was talking to a rather pale young girl. One who looked nervous and slightly scared.

"Of course child. Follow me."

The cat meowed and followed the young one's footsteps into an empty infirmary.

"No need to be afraid my dear. I'm not going to hurt you."

"I want to believe that. It's why I'm here. I need help."

"What's wrong?"

The stranger lifted their head.

"Promise you won't turn me in yet?"

"What? Are you in danger child?"

"Yes. And I'm not the only one."

The stranger pulled off her hood to reveal dark blue hair and held a striking resemblance to the picture of the missing child.

"My name is Coraline Jones, and my family is in trouble."

"Deep breathes my dear. Deep breathes," Markorav tried to calm her down. He brushed the hair from her hidden eye only to understand her fear. Where her eye should have been, there was a black button stitched to her face. She turned her head and took a deep breath, letting her hair cover the button.

"I have some money. It's not much, but if a team will accept it-"

"We'll help you. But I must know, did your parents-"

"It's not my parents who did this!" Coraline screeched, "They would have never done this to me," she added as she crossed her arms as if to hug herself, "It was something way worse."

"Do you know who did this to you?" Coraline nearly shivered at the dark tone the short and rather friendly man was using.

"She calls herself, the Other Mother. Her other victims called her the Beldam." Coraline looked down at her hands. Lifting her right hand, she created a magic circle around her hand. Her hand grew thinner, stripping of muscle and flesh, only to be replaced by thin and precise metal needles held together by magic to hold the form of a hand, "And she did this to me."

 **Coralline in Fairy Tail universe? With the Beldam as some magic terror most of the world is ignorant of. What madness could await? Also, I am slightly surprised there were no crosses for this.**


	2. Chapter 2

Markorav had a solemn expression as Coraline began to explain what had transpired. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other a bit uneasily.

"My parents moved for their job. They're sort of like columnists or something. We ended up in a complex called The Pink Palace. It was old and dingy and just unpleasant. Now, I would have accepted it if that was all it was."

Markorav led her to a bed where she sat tiredly. The cat jumped up and sat by her side, allowing her to pet him with her human hand.

"I did what any other kid would have done. I explored the place. Counting doors and windows and anything blue," she spoke wistfully, "With a small doll a boy named Wybie dropped off."

Her eye drooped as she realized something.

"That doll led me to discovering a hidden door. I begged my mom to unlock it. She did," Coraline choked out, "But inside it was all bricked up. It didn't stay that way though," she said softly. She then began to regale the Master with the wondrous and frightening truth that Coraline had understood about the door.

"...but when I tried to escape through the door, her hand reached out and gouged out my eye. It hurt so much. Her fingers," she said lifting her own needle appendages, "They were threaded, and like magic, a button appeared and sealed my eye lid shut. That's when the ghost children helped me shut the door. She's trapped there for now."

"You don't seem too sure."

"She's already tried to kill me here. In this world. With her hand trying drag me into a well to fall to my death."

"Does she still have your parents?"

"No. They're free. And they have the reward for me," she admitted, "But they don't know what's going on. They don't believe me. They think some witch or wizard messed with my head and stole my eye for whatever reason. They don't know that the Beldam is still in there with them. Please we need help."

Tears began to pool in her one eye and drip down her cheek.

"Oh there, there sweet pea. Everything will be alright."

"How can you be certain? No one has been able to catch the Beldam. The door itself is bricked up."

"You think that will make us give up? Never."

"I'm surprised you even believe me. It sounds crazy."

"Well, our guild has no shortage of crazy," he laughed. Coraline smiled and reached into her pocket and pulled out all the money she had been able to save.

"It's not much. About 15,000 jewel. It's all I've got." She held out her hand to the master. Markorav shook his head and pushed the money back.

"If this is as dangerous as you say it is, I'll cover the charges."

"But it's your guild!"

"And you are too young to need to worry about this. Trust me."

Coraline stared at Markorav's hand.

"Okay," she said clasping his hand with her needle like one. Her needle hand shifting back to flesh and bone, cool as frosty steel.

"Now, you can't destroy the Pink Palace. It doesn't belong to me."

"I know. But I have a feeling that doesn't bother you too much."

"No. Not really."

"Don't worry. We'll fix what we break."

"You have no idea how much this means to me. And the ghost children."

"Probably not. But if this Beldam is as dangerous as you say it is, why didn't you approach the magic council?"

Coraline's nose scrunched her nose up in irritation.

"I have no physical proof other than my eye. And I don't want everyone in Fiore to know about it. It's bad enough that I _have_ it."

"I see."

The cat stared at Markorav, then back at Coraline. Markorav noticed a curt nod of its head to Coraline. She let out a sigh of relief.

"So, who's your little friend? I don't think we've been introduced."

"Oh him? Well, he doesn't really have a name. He's kind feral. You know, wild? Wybie and I just feed him sometimes and he lets us pet him. He's not too fond of the Beldam either."

"Is he now?"

"He knows the ins and outs of the other world. He helped me escape." Her worlds held no doubt.

Markorav wasn't sure what to believe. Could she have been attacked and this was a coping mechanism? Was she placed under some sort of spell and had her eye stolen? Or perhaps the most terrifying option, that everything she said was entirely real. That there was some unexplained horror attacking children.

No matter what the truth was, there was obviously something dark occurring in this Pink Palace. And he'd be damned if he didn't do his best to prevent a tragedy.

"Well, how soon can this mission start?" Coraline asked feeling a bit antsy.

"As soon as I wrangle up the Wizards to go to the Pink Palace. And I think I have just the group in mind."

 **Which people should I send? Which shall be champions to combat the Beldam? I think I know who I want to send but I'm all for hearing your guys' opinions.**


	3. Chapter 3

Markorav let Coraline relax a bit in the infirmary and allowed her some food for herself and her feline companion. As she nibbled the food, enjoying each bite with the cat, Master Markorav went over the various members of the guild who could deal with he situation the young button eyed girl had brought before him. He was certain most of the guild could fight against what she had mentioned, should it in fact be real.

It sounded rather well suited for the Thunder Tribe honestly. Bixlow with his spirit seeing eyes to find what shouldn't be there, Freed with his immensely well devised runes, and Evergreen with her ability to turn her foes to stone. But they were also skeptics as they were rational. While they might take the quest upon his orders, they may not take it seriously until someone gets hurt.

They were a rather prideful bunch.

On the other end of spectrum, there was Team Natsu. They would take it far more seriously as a legitament threat, but they were overly destructive.

"Why don't you stay here tonight my dear? Rest up a bit while I finalize sorting out this mission."

"Thank you so much."

"No worries my dear, you can stay here while we complete-"

"If it's all the same to you, I want to go with the wizards for this mission."

"My dear, if it's as dangerous as you say it is, it won't be safe for you to go."

"It's not safe for anyone to go. But the Other Mother hates to lose. She'll make an appearance if I'm there. She'll want to try and win," she spoke in a haunted and grave tone, "She can never pass up a _game._ "

Markorav had only heard Erza and Mirajane speak with such a tone at such a young age. Dark and despondent. He half wondered if it was a quirk with young ladies who came to his guild that had the rather unique tone.

"If that's what you want-"

"You can use the mission of finding me to get to the Pink Palace," Coraline added, as though the idea just occured to her, "So my mom and dad don't worry. It'll also help cover the mission right?"

Markorav was a bit miffed, but couldn't find fault with the child's logic. If no one believed her at her home about something bad happening like she says it has, the residents probably wouldn't want wizards running around trying to fight what they couldn't understand.

"Very well. But rest first child. You look like you could use it. You and your furry little friend."

Coraline smiled with warmth and joy he had yet to see on her face. Even with one eye missing, she still hadn't lost her will to smile.

 **Markorav the skeptic. I think it works considering everything. He's seen many wild and fantastic things. But the Beldam hardly follows the same rules as a demon or a dark wizard. And I know this chapter is short, but it's too kind of show where my mind is at the moment. I think I know what I want to do, but still not entirely sure.**


	4. Chapter 4

Coraline accepted Markorav's help for the removal of the Beldam. But it was uncomfortable to be on the way back to the monstrous woman even with the Wizards she was accompanied by. She knew Fairy Tail wizards were strong. Well, lots of guilds were strong. But they were the ones crazy enough to listen to her.

"So this, "Pink Palace" is where you were attacked?"

"Yes." Coraline answered as she let the feral cat.

"It is where you lost your eye," another spoke. A calm and melodious voice added.

"Yeah. It is."

"Sounds pretty crazy."

"Again, it is."

The carriage they were in stopped, one by one the Fairy Tail guild members stepped out of the carriage just as the sun was going down. Coralline felt a firm hand clasp her shoulder, and begin leading her back to her home. The cat ran off towards a sign and Coraline watched him disappear as she approached the door. Gentle hands knocked on the door. There were sounds of movement inside and the door opened showing an incredibly tired and dark haired woman. Bags under her eyes were prominent but light sparked rapidly in her eyes seeing who was at the door.

"Coraline! Oh my goodness," she called out, wrapping her arms her daughter.

"Hi mom," Coraline responded uncomfortably, "Is dad here too?"

"No, he went to town to pick up some groceries."

Tears streamed down her face slowly as her eyes fell on the three who brought her daughter home.

"I'm sorry but who are you?" she asked, keeping her arms wrapped around her daughter.

"I'm Evergreen," the woman introduced herself, "This is Freed," she added using her fan to gesture to the long haired man, "and Bixlow," she turned her fan to the helmeted man.

"Well, it is a pleasure to meet you all. You all brought my little girl home?" she asked for clarity.

"We sure did," Bixlow answered jovially. A tired smile Coraline was all too familiar with blessed her mother's face.

"Well, thank you. If you would like to come inside, maybe have dinner with us to celebrate?" She asked, "You'll get your reward once my husband runs to the bank for it. So, in the mean time, why don't you come inside."

"It's getting kind of late mom, maybe they could stay the night too?" Coraline added a little thickly. Thankfully, her mother was far too focused on her relief to realize that and agreed. Coraline's eye glanced at the three then back at her mother. Coraline was kept under the watchful eye of her mother but showed them around the house, giving special attention to the room with the blue boy and fallen ice cream. Her eye kept wandering to the door behind the wallpaper. Freed quietly acknowledged it and pulled out a notebook, taking notes of possible useful runes... If her tale was in fact true.

* * *

Nightfall came quickly. And despite the Jones wanting to stay up and celebrate their daughter coming home, they fell asleep rather quickly. The three Fairy Tail wizards met up with Coraline in the room with the small door. Coraline looked both scared and tired.

"Are you all ready?"

The three nodded. Each stood at the ready with Bixlow going to open the door, his eyes shielded by his helmet. As quietly as possible, he opened the door. No ones expressions changed upon seeing cement and concrete sealing off the door.

"Looks like your parents have taken care of it kid," Bixlow chuckled. Coraline glared at the man and walked to the door. She shut it fully, then pulled it open herself.

This time, rather than bricks a bluish and dusty tunnel remained, appearing not of wood or stone, but of something soft and pliable.

"You were saying?"

"How did you do that's?" Evergreen questioned.

"The Beldam. She lures kids in, allowing them access when they're alone. But I have one some of her magic from the button eye. I can open this portal to those who can accept it exists. I didn't let you all doubt it long enough for you not to see it. So are we ready?"


	5. Chapter 5

It was a tight fit.

The small tunnel with clear magical properties, perfect for luring small children inside. Not so much for the adults of Fairy Tail.

Of course, they hardly ran in blindly to face the unknown, unlike others of the guild. Freed actively listened to all Coraline would tell him with renewed focus while placing sealing runes on the wall to keep the Beldam back if she tried to slip out. No one knew what exactly they were facing, even Coraline herself didn't know. But every little detail could prove useful.

Even to who should enter first.

With buttons for eyes, Evergreen was doubtful her stone eyes would be effective. Freed was best after a little observation.

Bixlow and his babies were a far better choice with his tag teaming ability. And despite the protests, Coraline would be second, the "prize" the Beldam sought, with Evergreen rig behind her to fly her about and protect her from whatever horrors might await. Freed would remain in the back placing more runes to keep the Beldam secure if they could not defeat her.

The group silently lamented that they did not have Laxus with them. He would have been useful. But they believed they could handle this fiend without him. Coraline trusted them enough to seek out their guild.

"Man this is creepy," Bixlow commented as he shimmied after his babies into the strange portal, "You must be pretty brave to come down here."

"More curious," Coraline admitted, "It was a new home and something magical. Mom and dad don't exactly use magic."

"I guess it _could_ be alluring to someone who doesn't see a lot of magic," Evergreen muttered.

"Are you kidding? I bet you Natsu would have charged in head first and he was raised by a dragon," Bixlow laughed as he came to the opposite door. Freed remained quiet and Bixlow opened the door. His babies flew in quietly and hovered by the entrance as he slid out. Keeping his eyes peeled, he lowered a hand to help Coraline to her feet after coming through. He let Evergreen and Freed get out themselves. They were big wizards. They could get themselves up.

His babies seemed to shiver in the room, seemingly upset by something. He didn't blame them. The room was eerily similar to the one they had left. But slight differences in the art, as well as the more insect like furniture was more than a little unsettling.

Then of course, there was the sizzling sound paired with soft humming.

"She's cooking," Coraline explained softly with dread lacing her voice. Evergreen placed a well manicured hand on Coraline's shoulder in a comforting manner. Coraline clasped the hand and gave a grateful half smile. Her eyes then narrowed and turned to leave the room.

"Don't trust her. Or anyone with buttons for eyes," she told them one last time.

"Coraline," a voice sang out, echoing off the walls. Coraline tensed, but walked to the kitchen with the Thunder Legion. The back of the Beldam towards the group, thin and Erie with short, flat, black hair. She turned showing a cracked face and a wicked grin. Black buttons stitched with grey thread to replace the old thread the cat had once torn out.

"Whoa Coraline kiddo, you weren't kidding. She really is creepy," Bixlow laughed. His babies chanted creepy over and over again as the Beldam's face contorted to a hideous scowl.

"You brought _vermin_ into the home."

"No. They're my allies."

"Charming bunch aren't they?" A deep voice reverberated in the kitchen. Freed let out a small gasp as the black cat from the house appeared. Bright blue eyes glanced back at Freed's quiet surprise before facing the Beldam. No more words were said from the beast as he seemed to glare at the Beldam.

"You know I love you Coraline," she said as she approached Coraline, her needle fingers reaching out towards her face. One of Bixlow's babies rammed her hand away. She hissed and dug her claw like fingers into the totem, making it splinter into hundreds of small wooden shards. Her button eyes falling on the helmeted man.

Her smile returned in a toxic look. A sweetly cruel chuckle escaped her lips. The cat hissed and disappeared practically in thin air.

"I see. Did you really want a big brother like me Coraline?"

"What?" Coraline blurted out. Her eyes darted over to Bixlow.

Bixlow's eyes narrowed behind his helmet, his mouth tensed into a grimace.

"Enough of this," Evergreen interrupted, "We heard you were strong. And that you have a penchant for stealing children's eyes. As well as their lives."

"I give them everything they could ever want. I'm a loving mother."

"Mother's don't eat their children's eyes. And you. Aren't. My. Mother," Coraline hissed doing her best to ignore the Beldam's hints at her help being so similar to the Beldam. Especially since she had never seen his eyes. It was best not to think too much about the totems and the implications.

"I see you still haven't learned to be a loving daughter, _Coraline."_

The strikes were quick as a battle ensued. Evergreen struck first to keep the Beldam from touching their charge. Coraline couldn't help but compare her bright magic like the twinkling stars the world here that was forever both nonexistent and eternal night. She didn't know what it was, but the Beldam didn't quite seem to know either. She hissed at her and scraped her needles against Evergreen's forearm. From the walls and crevices rats began to pour out with beady black buttons for eyes.

Coraline screeched as she was overwhelmed by rats. Then, a strange pulse overcame her as the rats were torn and thrown into the air in a wave.

"Don't worry, we'll protect you," Freed reassured as he kept the rats away with his runes. The fight didn't seem to be overly complicated, or difficult when compared to other fights they had been a part of.

But of course, one could hardly call this simple with the unknown magic from the Beldam. Not to mention she could handle blows from all of them. It was only when one of her eye buttons came off in the scuffle did everything flip on its head. With a loud roar the floor and the walls seemed to undo themselves creating a web like structure underfoot.

"Stay on the wood!" Coraline screeched as it began to funnel downward.

Evergreen grabbed her arm and held her in her arms. Bixlow let out a loud laugh as his remaining babies held him upright. The one destroyed began seeping its energy into one of the bug pieces of furniture, now sitting on the web like floor. Freed's runes kept him elevated and out of her net like webbing.

"You horrible cheating girl. You will pay!"

A sneer overcame her face and she jumped into the air.

"You won't escape Coraline! I won't let you! _I'll die without you."_

Coraline felt her heartbeat quicken at the heartbreaking tone identical to the one she used when she stole her eye. The key she carried around her neck held a burning sensation.

It always came back to the key didn't it? The one she had to keep from the other mother. The key to this world. The key. The damn key.

The unorthodox battle continued on with the Beldam manipulating the arena to her best advantage. Everyone else fighting with their magic keeping her away from Coraline. Coraline's button eye itched slightly with the Beldam's residual magic.

Wasn't there a magic that worked with keys? During her travels she had heard about different types of magic, even having been witness to someone using a silver key to summon a spirit to control. The key she carried may not be silver, but she could tell of its magic.

Maybe, perhaps... The words were-

"Open!" She called out grabbing the key from her neck, "Gate of the Beldam!"

Magic rippled throughout the entirety of the realm. The needle like being shrieked as the world cracked and crumbled to a faded gray. A doorbell resonated through the space as the white abyss melted into a cluster of space and and far stars.

"What did you do?" Freed questioned Coraline.

"Is this another one of her tricks?" Evergreen wondered aloud.

"Really freaky. Kind of seems like Cosplayer's magic."

"Coraline," the Beldam spoke in a strangely sweeter tone.

But there was a change, rather than a broken spider looking women built from a mannequin and sewing needles, there was a woman with intricate spindly fingers and dressed in soft silk.

"My key Coraline. It hasn't been used in centuries."

"You... You're a spirit."

"Yes. I suppose that is true. Though, I must say, I am pleased to be your spirit Coraline."

"My what?!"

The Beldam smirked at the group. Coraline could feel Evergreen's grip tighten on her, her eyes darting towards the small and unchanging exit they had entered through.

"Oh Coraline. That's the life of a spirit. Especially one who has been banished from the Celestial realm."

"So you are a celestial being."

"Knew we should have convinced him to send Cosplayer instead," Bixlow groaned to himself.

"I am Aranea the Long-legged spider," she introduced with a wicked smirk.

"Never heard of it," Freed, the resident bookworm commented. The Beldam, now calling herself Aranea scowled.

"You wouldn't. A celestial being gets part of their power from how well they're known. And when human society decides you _aren't_ a constellation, even the celestial wizards forget you."

"No. You can't be. Cosplayer said celestial beings couldn't live outside the celestial realm long."

"That's what children's eyes are for. Such a wonderful source of magic," she sighed happily, "Coraline has a large amount of magic and using the key has established our contract. Speaking of, we shouldn't speak of the contract here," she said and with a snap of her new fleshy fingers, the group reappeared in the room with the sad blue clad boy who had dropped his ice cream.

"Forget dragon slaying music, _celestial magic_ makes no sense."

 **Well, this short sided idea has finally come to a conclusion. May not be great but, I thought it to be an interesting concept. Eh. Just eh.**


End file.
